Published: Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 9:47 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, March 22, 2013 at 8:56 a.m.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Two for the title.

Spartanburg Methodist's remarkable winning streak ripped straight through the NJCAA tournament quarterfinals Thursday night with a 75-68 victory against East Georgia State in the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

Top-ranked SMC (34-0) will play at 9 tonight in the semifinals against the College of Central Florida (32-3) for a shot at the national championship on Saturday night. If nothing else, the Pioneers are guaranteed a spot in the third-place game and will not go home before the end of the tournament.

But it's the championship they want.

“Hopefully, we'll be able to pull out another victory on Friday,” SMC head coach Jeff Brookman said. “We know that, no matter what happens, we have two more games left in our season. … I don't want it to end. I want to spend as much time with these guys as I can.”

SMC, making its second straight trip to the tournament and sixth appearance overall, has not been this far since 1995, when it finished runner-up. The Pioneers are looking to become the first team from South Carolina to win the championship. In fact, nobody from the surrounding Southeastern states of North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and even northward to Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Michigan has won a title, either.

But this SMC team, the smallest in the field with only about 800 students, the fewest number of scholarships at 1.2 and a starting lineup featuring four players from Spartanburg County has almost reached the highest level possible in junior college basketball.

And while Wednesday afternoon's opening game was a bit of a struggle, the second-seeded Pioneers needing to come from behind in the final minutes, they were in control of this one from the start. After 12 minutes, SMC was in front, 30-16. Seventh-seeded East Georgia State (31-3), cut the lead to seven by halftime and to five in the final two minutes but could never get any closer.

“We were a lot more relaxed than (Wednesday),” said Ronell Crockett from T.L. Hanna High School in Anderson. “That was our first time playing in a while (11 days). In this game, we were calm.”

Jalen Nesbitt (Chapman) led the way in scoring with 18 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots. Freshman DaQuan Jeffries (Broome) had 16 points, five boards, four blocks and four steals. Crockett finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. Ben Johnson (Boiling Springs) scored 11.

SMC came out hot as six different players combined to go 7-for-10 on 3-pointers for a 22-14 lead. Even players that do most of their work inside, Crockett and Jeffries, were both 2-for-2.

“We were just ready to play,” Crockett said. “We saw it was a great team we were facing up against. They have a lot of good guards. But they were playing off us and Coach told us to shoot with confidence. Once we knocked down a couple, the basket just got bigger for everybody.”

SMC's defense focused greatly on East Georgia State point guard Jordan Johnson, who averages 19 points but had only five at halftime, finishing with 14. He was 5-for-12 from the floor, including 4-for-9 on 3-pointers.

“I told the guys before the game that (Johnson) is the best shooter we've seen all year,” Brookman said. “He's the best shooter I've seen in a while.”

The Pioneers did it defensively, blocking eight shots, without fouling. East Georgia State only took four foul shots, making just one, while SMC went 17-for-24. Nesbitt was 8-for-9 from the line.

Third-seeded Central Florida, meanwhile, moved into the semifinals against SMC by getting past Central Arizona, 81-68, in the late game. On the other side of the bracket is ninth-seeded Northwest Florida against fifth-seeded Vicennes (Indiana). They will play at 7 tonight.

<p>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Two for the title.</p><p>Spartanburg Methodist's remarkable winning streak ripped straight through the NJCAA tournament quarterfinals Thursday night with a 75-68 victory against East Georgia State in the Hutchinson Sports Arena.</p><p>Top-ranked SMC (34-0) will play at 9 tonight in the semifinals against the College of Central Florida (32-3) for a shot at the national championship on Saturday night. If nothing else, the Pioneers are guaranteed a spot in the third-place game and will not go home before the end of the tournament.</p><p>But it's the championship they want.</p><p>“Hopefully, we'll be able to pull out another victory on Friday,” SMC head coach Jeff Brookman said. “We know that, no matter what happens, we have two more games left in our season. … I don't want it to end. I want to spend as much time with these guys as I can.”</p><p>SMC, making its second straight trip to the tournament and sixth appearance overall, has not been this far since 1995, when it finished runner-up. The Pioneers are looking to become the first team from South Carolina to win the championship. In fact, nobody from the surrounding Southeastern states of North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and even northward to Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Michigan has won a title, either.</p><p>But this SMC team, the smallest in the field with only about 800 students, the fewest number of scholarships at 1.2 and a starting lineup featuring four players from Spartanburg County has almost reached the highest level possible in junior college basketball.</p><p>And while Wednesday afternoon's opening game was a bit of a struggle, the second-seeded Pioneers needing to come from behind in the final minutes, they were in control of this one from the start. After 12 minutes, SMC was in front, 30-16. Seventh-seeded East Georgia State (31-3), cut the lead to seven by halftime and to five in the final two minutes but could never get any closer. </p><p>“We were a lot more relaxed than (Wednesday),” said Ronell Crockett from T.L. Hanna High School in Anderson. “That was our first time playing in a while (11 days). In this game, we were calm.”</p><p>Jalen Nesbitt (Chapman) led the way in scoring with 18 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots. Freshman DaQuan Jeffries (Broome) had 16 points, five boards, four blocks and four steals. Crockett finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. Ben Johnson (Boiling Springs) scored 11.</p><p>SMC came out hot as six different players combined to go 7-for-10 on 3-pointers for a 22-14 lead. Even players that do most of their work inside, Crockett and Jeffries, were both 2-for-2. </p><p>“We were just ready to play,” Crockett said. “We saw it was a great team we were facing up against. They have a lot of good guards. But they were playing off us and Coach told us to shoot with confidence. Once we knocked down a couple, the basket just got bigger for everybody.”</p><p>SMC's defense focused greatly on East Georgia State point guard Jordan Johnson, who averages 19 points but had only five at halftime, finishing with 14. He was 5-for-12 from the floor, including 4-for-9 on 3-pointers.</p><p>“I told the guys before the game that (Johnson) is the best shooter we've seen all year,” Brookman said. “He's the best shooter I've seen in a while.”</p><p>The Pioneers did it defensively, blocking eight shots, without fouling. East Georgia State only took four foul shots, making just one, while SMC went 17-for-24. Nesbitt was 8-for-9 from the line.</p><p>Third-seeded Central Florida, meanwhile, moved into the semifinals against SMC by getting past Central Arizona, 81-68, in the late game. On the other side of the bracket is ninth-seeded Northwest Florida against fifth-seeded Vicennes (Indiana). They will play at 7 tonight.</p><p>“Honestly,” Brookman said, “I don't think the pressure is on us.”</p>